By: Ilana Siyance
The Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has approved a public-private partnership to build a new $3.9 billion Terminal 6 at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
As reported by Airport World, the planned 1.2 million square foot terminal, made in agreement with JFK Millennium Partners including JetBlue Airways, will connect to JetBlue’s Terminal 5, and build an anchor on the north side of the airport. The new state-of-the-art terminal will feature ten gates along with broad and bright check-in halls and arrival areas aimed to improve the traveler’s experience. The new terminal will also have over 100,000 square feet of commercial dining and retail shops, lounges, and recreational spaces. Construction is slated to begin in mid-2022, and the first new gates are expected to open in 2025.
The PANYNJ said the construction will integrate the latest advances in security and sustainability, reflecting the Port Authority’s and the partners’ commitment to customer experience, operational excellence, and an enhanced New York style. “Moving forward with a new Terminal 6 will create thousands of good-paying construction jobs critical to our recovery from the pandemic, while building the foundation of economic growth for decades to come,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole.
The terminal had originally been slated to break ground in 2020, but the project was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on air travel and shutdowns which threatened the future of the industry. The renewed deal, approved on Thursday night, marks a momentous step in transforming JFK into a 21st century global gateway to be proud of.
The projected cost for the new terminal is $3.9 billion, and will be completely privately financed by JMP. The Port Authority will also pour in $130 million in capital funding to build enabling infrastructure for the Terminal, including airside improvements, and utility and electrical enhancements and support for the project. The project will be built on the sites of the former Terminal 6, which was already demolished in 2011, and the ageing Terminal 7, which will be demolished after British Airways moves to Terminal 8.
“The action taken by the Board of Commissioners, coupled with the extraordinary private investment pledged to build Terminal 6 at JFK Airport, loudly proclaims the confidence the private sector has in the future of JFK Airport and of our region,” said PANYNJ Executive Director Rick Cotton. “We thank the dedicated Port Authority team and our private partners for their intense work and commitment to turn JFK Airport into the modern global gateway that New York and the region deserve.”
“The transformation of JFK Airport into a world-class gateway is another distinct testament to New York’s comeback and to our determination to build back better,” Governor Cuomo said.
